Domestic

New Zealand Tablet, 27 October 1921, Page 41

Domestic

i By Maureen

A MACARONI SALAD. ' Boil 3oz macaroni, and cut into short lengths; mix with 2 tdblespoonsful of mayonnaise and pile in the centre of a salad howl, or any other dish selected. Arrange round this a border of lettuce—pulled into small pieces,' then around that slices of tomato; the next ring, slices of cold boiled potatoes (new) 3 hard-boiled eggs cut into quarters and arranged round the outside; sprinkle with parsley. I ■ BEET SALAD. There is no prettier and more generally acceptable salad than slices of the little new beets on lettuce leaves, with oil and vinegar or a French dressing. If the beets are large, chop them, mix with some butter, and pack into cups to cool. When cold invert on lettuce leaves and serve with a French dressing. A cold beet may be cut to resemble a many-petaled rose or peony and served as a salad. The beet makes an-ideal garnish for many cooked salads. BROWN POTATO SOUP. Heat 1 tablespoonful of butter and brown carefully in it 3 tablespoonsful of sifted flour. Then add H quarts of cold water, a good teaspoonful of salt, and 2 medium- ■ sized potatoes peeled and sliced thin. Cook until the potatoes are thoroughly done. The whole process will take three-quarters of an hour. It is a nice task to brown the flour evenly and sufficiently, but not difficult if a thick-bottomed frying-pan is used- and the flour stirred constantly. Adding cold water to the flour and butter ensures lack of lumps in the soup. Neither this nor any brown gravy need be lumpy if made with a cold liquid. This is an inexpensive soup, pleasantly thick. INEXPENSIVE QUICK MAYONNAISE. One-fourth teaspoonful of salt, one-half teaspoonful of mustard dissolved in one teaspoonful of cold water, a pinch of pepper freshly ground, one teaspoonful of vinegar, one egg yolk, one-half cupful of oil, and finally one or two tablespoonfuls of lemon juice. The more tart the dressing is the better some people like it, and more lemon juice is needed by far than with fine-flavored olive oil. The lemon juice also whitens the dressing as well as gives it a better taste. Use a deep soup plate and a -small metal whisk. The rotary beater is not as good as the whisk for quick work, because it takes both hands to manage it for one thing. Put into tho plate all ingredients except the oil and lemon juice, and stir all together vigorously with the whisk.

Then holding the half-cup of oil in the left hand ,drop it in drop by drop at first, whisking constantly, and then let it run a fine stream right in the middle of the path of the whisk, which should move straight back and forth across the plate. This operation can be completed, in four or five minutes. / ECONOMY GINGER CAKE. Take 3 cupsful flour, 1 cupful water, 1 cupful raisins, 1 level teaspoonful ground ginger, \ level teaspoonful ground cinnamon, \ level teaspoonful ground cloves, 1\ level teaspoonsful soda, \ level teaspoonful salt, 2 tablespoonsful sugar, 1 tablespoonful dripping or margarine, and i cupful treacle. Put all ingredients except flour and soda, into a pan, and boil for' a few minutes. Let this mixture cool until lukewarm; add the soda, and mix thoroughly. Stir the flour into the mixture, slowly, adding more water if.required, to make a thick batter. Have ready a greased and floured tin (the tin should be threequarters full), and bake in a slow oven for one hour, or a little longer if necessary. LET IN THE SUNSHINE. It always distresses me as I move about the world (says a writer in a contemporary) to see the way that people draw down their window blinds directly the lovely sun approaches their windows and threatens to fade their beautiful curtains! How few people appreciate the hygienic powers of sunlight and shut it out to preserve their furniture at the risk of courting unhealthy homes. It has been proved again and again that people, as surely as plants, cannot be well and thriving without sunlight and fresh air. What a mistake, too, to persistently draw down the blinds in a sick-room! A good nurse will always admit the sunshine into her patient's room as long as it does not annoy him in any way.